r1100gs gearbox

[Trullion]

Yes, I believe they were available in restricted form in Germany and were available there for a longer period. They may well have been available in other colours there too, but I'm talking about the UK. I've never come across one other than in silver/yellow or red and no owner I've ever spoken to has a restricted one; they've all been full power versions (70bhp). Anyway, it would be as easy to restrict the 1100; it only produces another 10bhp in GS tune (though the RS adds another 10bhp). I doubt that many people in the UK would have bought a 33bhp version because even in basic format it was quite expensive.

 

[nick.ct]

And I think the R1100S engine was even more at 98BHP, and a 6 speed box too. Wait to be corrected tho

Nick

 

[motobiker]

Yes, I believe they were available in restricted form in Germany and were available there for a longer period. They may well have been available in other colours there too, but I'm talking about the UK. I've never come across one other than in silver/yellow or red and no owner I've ever spoken to has a restricted one; they've all been full power versions (70bhp). Anyway, it would be as easy to restrict the 1100; it only produces another 10bhp in GS tune (though the RS adds another 10bhp). I doubt that many people in the UK would have bought a 33bhp version because even in basic format it was quite expensive.

Don't really know about all that - what I do know is that all the various model histories say essentially the same thing - that the 850 was produced - as this one says.

This was mainly to address the needs of novice riders in Europe. Restrictors can be fitted to limit power to the new European limit for some novices of 33bhp

seems odd that they would produce a different engine with all the additional costs that that implies when the 1100 could just have easily been modified to do the same. I think there must be more to it than that.

Possibly some tax or insurance reason.

As for the Uk market - it's probably right to say that it was always an unlikely candidate for restriction when there are so many alternatives and the GS market at that time was so very small. BMW's still being seriously 'un-cool' not many new riders would be wanting a bike that weighs 536lb with THAT badge.

Very different to attitudes in mainland Europe at the time.

 

[D6]

with a bike wieghing that much , it probably didnt need restricting, (33bhp, or so many bhp to the kg remember)so it couldv been a good "restriction law" bike?

 

[Trullion]

According to Ian Falloon's book the R850R was introduced in 1995. The only difference between this and the R1100R was the bore size, valve size and final drive ratio. Normal output was 70bhp, but a restricted version had an electronically governed 34bhp output of 34bhp "for graduated European driving licence regulations".

I doubt that the development costs of the A62 engine (the 850) were very high and as the restricted version was electronically governed the same effect could have been achieved using the 1100 motor. IMHO the R850R was produced as an entry level model in the same way as the Harley 883 Sportster.

Anyway, the point of my original post to this (admittedly highjacked) thread was that the 850GS is a rare beast in the UK. According to Falloon it was introduced only in 1998 (It isn't listed in Roy Bacon's book published in 1996). He also states "After the introduction of the six-speed R1150GS, the R850GS continued unchanged to use up the supply of earlier components". In the appendix he doesn't quote the numbers produced, but it is apparent that the R850GS was also produced in 34 bhp form. My guess is that most of these were sold in Germany.

Off now to see if I can bag me a new anorak to replace my old one................

 

[Seamaster]

The 850GS shares the same motronic system with the 850RT but not the 850R